Element for rapid joint for tubular fishing lines

ABSTRACT

This is a rapid action connecting element for tubular fishing lines: This element can be used to repair cut lines and to assemble sections. The element comprises a single flexible pin with rounded ends with barbs at its ends having their point directed toward the central section of the pin. Half the pin is introduced into a hole in one tubular line and the other end of the pin is introduced into an end of another tubular line. Upon pushing the ends of the tubular lines together, they are held connected, by reason of the barbs becoming embedded in the lines.

United States Patent 1191 Hand] [451 Mar. 27, 1973 [54] ELEMENT FORRAPID JOINT FOR TUBULAR FISHING LINES [76] Inventor: Ernesto G. Handl,Paso de Los Andes 153, Mendosa, Argentina [22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1971 [52]US. Cl ..43/44.98, 24/123, 24/31 C, 287/127 R, 85/14, 85/21, 287/2092 E[51] Int. Cl ..Fl6g 11/00, Fl6g 11/08 [58] Field of Search.....24/123,87, 31 C, 332, 122.3, 24/ 122.6, 204; 287/ 127 R, 20.92 E; 43/44.98,44.8, 44.2, 43.1; 85/14, 21

2,712,196 7/1955 Allen ..24/123 R 3,562,871 2/1971 Peterson ..24/31 0311,883 211885 England...., ..24/31 0 920,808 5/1909 Alcott ..24/123 R1,378,507 5/1921 Wiegand ..24/31 c 3,309,096 3/1967 lnka ..287/127 R3,389,046 6/1968 Burrws ..287/127 R 3,494,006 2/1970 Brumlik ..24/87 RPrimary Examiner-Bemard A. Gelak Attorney-J. B. Felshin ABSTRACT This isa rapid action connecting element for tubular fishing lines: Thiselement can be used to repair cut lines and to assemble sections. Theelement comprises a single flexible pin with rounded ends with barbs atits ends having their point directed toward the central section of thepin. Half the pin is introduced into a hole in one tubular line and theother end of the pin is introduced into an end of another tubular line.Upon pushing the ends of the tubular lines together, they are heldconnected, by reason of the barbs becoming embedded in the lines.

5 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZY 197s INVENTOR. WI/570 4 7TURA/E y ELEMENT FOR RAPID JOINT FOR TUBULAR FISHING LINES The presentinvention which relates in general to equipment for the sport offishing, refers in particular to a rapid-action connecting element fortubular fishing lines, the object of which is to provide a large numberof advantages for enthusiasts in this sport since, as will be noted fromthe following specification, the connecting system to which reference ishad serves both to repair cut lines and to assemble others by sectionsof different diameter, which, suitably selected, lend themselveseffectively for the carrying out of this sport, using lures such asthose formed of the conventional flies.

The fly lines which are at present recognized as giving best results arethose formed of a tubular braiding of synthetic fibers, covered on theoutside by a plastic film, thus producing a structure of high strengthand with a degree of flexibility in accord with the purpose which saidline is to serve. These lines, the size of which varies between 0.5 and2 mm in diameter, consist of two types one of uniform diameter commonlyknown as parallel lines and the other, of appreciably higher price thanthe foregoing, whose diameter decreases towards the free end, whichfeature has resulted in the name of rat-tail by which it is known amongfishing enthusiasts. This last type of line results in improvements overthe parallel line since it facilitates the presenting of the fly ontothe surface of the water due to the gradual increase in flexibilitycaused by the tapering towards the end.

Since the cost of the braided rat-tail tubular line is considerablyhigher than that of the parallel line, in general the fisherman is notfinancially able to purchase it despite the advantages which it offers,for which reason, he purchases different sections of parallel line ofdifferent diameters and connects them in such a manner as to obtain aline having a behavior similar to that of the costly rat-tail.

On the other hand, both those who use the parallel fly line and thosewho use the original rat-tail or rat-tail constructed in the mannerindicated above, find it frequently necessary to repair their cut linesby splices. For this purpose, it should be pointed out that up to nowthework involved in making a splice of a synthetic tubular lineconstitutes a task which must be carried out slowly and with a greatdeal of patience, it being impossible to effect it at the fishing siteitself since the connection of the broken line is effected by a splicewhich is then covered with several layers of varnish, each of which mustbe allowed to dry properly and therefore up to the present time, thefisherman whose line is cut sees his fun ruined, since, unless he has aspare line, which is rather improbable in view of their cost, he mustbring it for repair or else splice it himself, but he can never do thisat the fishing site itself for the reasons mentioned above. For all ofthese reasons, it is needless to point out that these drawbacks are tothe detriment of the sport of fishing since they cause the fisherman tolose enthusiasm and are harmful to the people engaged in the business.

Therefore, in order to provide an effective solution for these problems,there has been developed a rapid connecting element for said tubularlines by which the fisherman himself can in a few minutes connect hisline at the fishing site itself. This connecting element, which isgenerally formed of a toothed pin which can be inserted coaxially intothe ends of the line to be connected, provides many advantages inaddition to the speed with which it achieves its purpose and in additionto providing a joint of high strength without bulges, which makes itpossible for the line to slide easily through the guides of the rodwhich is not true in the case of the conventional splices made withthread and varnish.

For greater clarity and understanding of the object of the presentinvention, it has been illustrated in various figures in which the samereference numbers indicate identical or corresponding parts and in whichthe connector has been shown in one of its embodiments, merely by way ofexample.

FIG. 1 is a view of the said element shown by itself, in which, it beingdrawn on a scale several times greater than its actual size, there canbe noted the barbs which act as retaining members upon embeddingthemselves into the inner walls of the line. These barbs will in actualpractice be arranged along a single line but to facilitate thedescription, an effective alternate has been illustrated.

FIG. 2 shows the connector element introduced into one of the ends ofthe line to be connected, and finally,

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the line which has already beenspliced by the element in question.

As can be noted from the drawing, the said rapid connector consists of asingle piece a of approximately 20 mm in length, preferably consistingof tempered steel or else of a plastic material having suitableproperties, as a result of which the connector will have an appreciabledegree of flexibility. This element a comprises an elongated pin 1, theends 2 of which are slightly rounded in order to prevent it whenintroduced through the ends 3 of the tubular fishing line 4 fromperforating the side walls thereof and going out of line. The said pin 1has a central section, which, occupying approximately the middle thirdof its length, is entirely smooth while both side sections are providedwith a set of barbs 5 which, acting as hooking fins have their sharppoints directed towards the said central section of the pin. Each set ofbarbs is preferably formed of at least two units, which can be alignedwith respect to the barbs of the other section or else distributedirregularly over different generatrices of the pin 1.

The connector a is used simply in the following fashion: Half of the pin1 is introduced either directly by hand or else with the aid of pliersinto the end 3 of the line 4 to be connected, in such a manner that thepin is housed in the hole 6 which the braiding thereof has, whereuponone proceeds in identical fashion with the other end of the line,pushing the facing ends firmly together, whereupon the connection isalready effected since when pull is exerted on the line during its usethe barbs 5 embed themselves into the walls thereof, forming a verystrong connection, which has duly proven itself in practical tests.Furthermore, in order to improve the strength to an even greater extent,there is nothing to prevent impregnating the connector element with afast-drying adhesive cement which additional task for all practicalpurposes does not make this easy connecting system any more complicated.

Of course, when the present invention is carried out in practice,modifications may be made in certain details of construction in theshape of the connector element described, without however going beyondthe fundamental principles which are clearly set forth in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1 A rapid connector element for tubular fishing lines characterized bythe fact that it comprises a single solid pin having rounded blunt ends,which has a smooth central section and two side sections containedbetween the limits of said central section and the respective ends ofthe pin, each provided with a set of protruding curved, painted barbs,which, acting as hooking fins, are inclined in such a manner that theirsharp points are directed towards parallism with the central section ofthe pin, said pin being of uniform cross section except for said barbs,and having an outer cylindrical surface, and said barbs extendingoutwardly of said cylindrical surface.

2. A rapid connector element for tubular fishing lines according toclaim 1, characterized by the fact that the barbs are irregularlydistributed over difierent generatrices of the pin and are longitudallycurved outwardly.

3. A rapid connector element for tubular fishing lines according toclaim 1, characterized by the fact that it consists of tempered steel.

4. A rapid connector element for tubular fishing lines according toclaim 1, characterized by the fact that it is constructed of flexibleplastic material.

5. The structure of claim 1, in combination with a pair of tubularfishing line ends, each receiving one of said side sections, and saidbarbs penetrating the interior surfaces of said fishing line ends.

I I i

1. A rapid connector element for tubular fishing lines characterized bythe fact that it comprises a single solid pin having rounded blunt ends,which has a smooth central section and two side sections containedbetween the limits of said central section and the respective ends ofthe pin, each provided with a set of protruding curved, painted barbs,which, acting as hooking fins, are inclined in such a manner that theirsharp points are directed towards parallism with the central section ofthe pin, said pin being of uniform cross section except for said barbs,and having an outer cylindrical surface, and said barbs extendingoutwardly of said cylindrical surface.
 2. A rapid connector element fortubular fishing lines according to claim 1, characterized by the factthat the barbs are irregularly distributed over different generatricesof the pin and are longitudally curved outwardly.
 3. A rapid connectorelement for tubular fishing lines according to claim 1, characterized bythe fact that it consists of tempered steel.
 4. A rapid connectorelement for tubular fishing lines according to claim 1, characterized bythe fact that it is constructed of flexible plastic material.
 5. Thestructure of claim 1, in combination with a pair of tubular fishing lineends, each receiving one of said side sections, and said barbspenetrating the interior surfaces of said fishing line ends.